Josh Rouse - "Julie (Come Out of the Rain)"

Josh Rouse released his ninth album 'The Happiness Waltz' earlier this year. As you can hear on "Julie (Come Out of the Rain)" he has now perfected that catchy pop-folk sound he started with the essential 'Under Cold Blue Stars' album from 2002.

Josh Rouse - "Street Lights"

Josh Rouse is an artist who has been consistently good throughout his career. His debut album 'Dressed Up Like Nebraska' from 1998 was probably my top album of that year. I have to admit I haven't got all of his dozen or so albums & EPs since, but the half dozen I do have are all good. His style hasn't always been the Alt-Country/Folk we know and love from him. There has been a retro 70's album, even with shades of disco, aptly named '1972' and he isn't afraid of the concept album angle... as with his 'Under Cold Blue Stars' which is said to be about a small-town southern couple in the 1950's. Josh Rouse was originally from Nebraska and moved to Tennessee before he started his musical career. He then moved to Spain around 2006 and has also released material under the name 'She's Spanish, I'm American' with his Spanish girlfriend Paz Suay. "Street Lights" is from his 2005 album 'Nashville' and has all the classic trademarks of his music refined perfectly. The vocals and lyrics shine as per usual, as does the acoustic guitar, but it's the addition of strings that does it for me. Beautiful!